PC All-Americans:

The President's Challenge was my introduction to this terrific lifestyle. After earning the Gold award through the Presidential Champions program, I began to contemplate the possibility of earning the platinum level award. As my qualifying activities are "steady-eddie" types, done routinely six days a week with no planned ending, I gulped. The big jump from the gold's 160,000 qualifying points to one million platinum points was quite a challenge. Regardless, I started on my way. 

I am almost two-thirds of the way to my goal, with 660,659 points tallied toward the platinum total. I enjoy my activities - even crave them - so earning the points is a fun, integral part of my life. The President's Challenge is a method to reward and clock my exercise after each session. I particularly appreciate the exercise category that is assessed by time spent exercising. I like being measured by how many hours or minutes I exercise rather than how many miles I run or how much weight I lift. 

The bulk of my point tally comes from three activities. Living in the Northern climes, I discovered snowshoeing and its wonderful physical and mental benefits. I snowshoe for fun and compete in United States Snowshoe Association (USSSA) Championship races, too. I trail run through hills, mountains, and forests in state and national parks, often at night, mostly by myself. Spending hours on the trails, running or snowshoeing is not only healthy, it has enormous benefits for one's mental well-being, too, by reducing the stresses and strains of daily life. I complement the training with trail races through a trail series sponsored by the Upper Midwest Trail Runners. There are many such affiliations throughout the globe, and one should avail themselves to them. I also do heavy lifting five days a week, not to build muscularity but to build strength and endurance by incorporating weight and movement.  

These three activities are driving toward my key President's Challenge objective: reach the Platinum 1,000,000-point goal on September 12, 2010.  

Why that date? It coincides with the conclusion of the Sawtooth 100 mile trail endurance run in Northern Minnesota. Finishing this event once is a major intention of mine. One of the toughest in the country, I have managed not to finish the Sawtooth twice already. It is not an easy walk in the park; rather the tough up-and-down terrain and challenging paths offer a supreme test (and more entries in my President's Challenge account).

HEALTH AND WELLNESS WITH MARJIE:

 

Marjie Gilliam is a Corporate Advocate and columnist for the President's Challenge. Marjie is an internationally syndicated fitness columnist and freelance journalist, and has authored thousands of articles devoted to health and wellness. Each month we will be featuring one of her articles.

Tips for a Happy, Healthy Holiday Season 

Many people experience extra emotional and physical stress during the holidays. Traveling, hours of holiday shopping, fighting traffic, standing in long lines at the register, and lifting stacks of presents can easily contribute to neck, shoulder and back injuries. Proper body mechanics can help prevent some of these holiday-related aches and pains.  

Suggestions for reducing holiday strain:

Think before you lift! 

• Before you move or lift an object, take a moment to think about how heavy the item may be. Never assume an object's weight; test it by pushing against the object with your foot. If it seems too heavy or bulky, get help or take smaller loads. This will equate to less strain on your lower back, knees, arms and shoulder muscles. 

• The further the item is away from you when lifting, the greater the force on the lower back, so avoid leaning over an object to lift it.  Instead, stand close to the object, feet shoulder-width apart with bent knees. Use your legs as you lift, not your back.  Keep your abdominals tight, and pay careful attention to the position of your spine. In order to avoid injury, keep it in proper alignment, maintaining the three normal curves at the neck, middle and lower back. If you have to turn after picking up the object, do so by moving your feet, not twisting at the waist. If you are reaching overhead to get an object, bring yourself up to its level by standing on a sturdy, wide surface.

Don't let holiday shopping take its toll on you!

• When going from store to store, we often put one bag inside another in order to free a hand. Instead of lugging overstuffed shopping bags for extended periods of time, make a few trips to the car to unload your packages. You'll burn extra calories and reduce stress on the neck, shoulder and back muscles. If carrying several smaller bags, maintain proper balance by distributing the weight as equally as possible on both sides of your body. 

• Women are often particularly vulnerable to persistent back pain. Avoid carrying a heavy purse, which can create or aggravate back and shoulder problems. If you do carry a heavy purse for an extended period of time, at least make a point to shift it from side to side.  

• Choose proper footwear. It makes good sense to wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes with good support if you plan to spend a lot of time on your feet this holiday season. Many ankle and foot injuries occur from carrying packages while wearing high heels or ill-fitting shoes on hard surfaces, such as the floors in shopping malls. 

• As you go about your day, check to see how your body is positioned. Slouched body position, consistently putting more weight on one side of the body than the other and standing or sitting for long periods of time can wreak havoc on muscles and joints. Strive for better posture, use of good body mechanics, and regular exercise. These go a long way toward helping to prevent, manage, and/or alleviate problems every day.